Choctaws Take Down #6 Texas-Tyler, 14-8

TYLER, TX - The Mississippi College baseball team pounded out 18 hits and scored in six of the nine innings on their way to a 14-8 victory over #6 Texas-Tyler on Friday night at Irwin Field.

With the win, the Choctaws have now won five games in a row and 11 of their last 12. MC also stopped a 35-game home winning streak for the Patriots that dates back to February 27, 2010.

Junior Scott Trousdale (3-2) was the story for the Choctaws, tossing 5.2 innings out of the bullpen and striking out 10 Patriots to collect the victory.

The Choctaw bats came alive early when senior Shane Bennett singled up the middle to drive in senior Andy Smith and give the Choctaws a 1-0 advantage.

Bennett would strike again in the third inning with a two-run home run, his sixth long ball of the season. The former Clinton High and Hinds standout went 4-5 with three RBI and two runs scored for the game.

Sophomore Brett Hightower showed out in his homecoming as the former Patriot went deep in the third inning, as well, to give the Choctaws a 5-0 lead.

UT-Tyler scratched the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame with three runs, highlighted by a two-run single by Justin Juneau.

After a Spencer Brunson sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, the Patriots would tie the game with three runs in their half of the fourth, aided by two RBI singles and sacrifice fly.

Brunson and Hightower each had RBI singles in the sixth as the Choctaws extended the lead to 9-6 and that would be all Trousdale would need.

The Choctaws added to the lead with a four-run seventh inning, featuring a two-run double by Brunson and a two-run single by senior Brandon Benton. Brunson finished the game 2-5 with four RBI and three runs scored.

Junior Mike Kerdock scored the final for the Choctaws in the eighth inning coming in on an RBI single by senior Stuart Magee after Kerdock led off the inning with his third double of the game.

Hayden Chick hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning, but the Patriots could not mount a comeback.

Four different Choctaws finished with at least three hits, as MC posted the most hits allowed by the Patriots in a single game this season. Andy Smith went 3-5 with three runs scored.

Bennett, Benton, and Hightower joined Brunson as Choctaws with as least three runs driven in.

Patriot starter Chad Sherman (8-1) suffered his first loss of the season, allowing 12 hits and four earned runs over 6.0 inning pitched. Sherman came into the game undefeated with a 0.88 ERA.

The Choctaws and the Patriots will be back at it on Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m.